


Hold

by Magnetism_bind



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Beating, Developing Relationship, M/M, Partnership, Protectiveness, Tumblr Prompt, season 2 fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24947722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magnetism_bind/pseuds/Magnetism_bind
Summary: Flint's not too sure about Silver's strategy to regain his position aboard the Walrus.
Relationships: Captain Flint | James McGraw/John Silver
Comments: 3
Kudos: 46





	Hold

Flint winces as Silver takes another punch to the gut. This isn’t what he had in mind when he said they had to work their way back into joining the crew. To be honest, he’s not sure what he had in mind exactly when he said that, nor what he thought Silver would actually do, but not this. Whatever this is.

Silver rolls back on his ankles, starting to move aside when the pirate grabs him by the hair, yanking him upright. The audience he’s gathered around him, laughs and Flint feels his hackles rise. It’s not even as big a group as the first time Silver started this nonsense. Somehow it’s worse, the way they close in and watch, cruel amusement dancing in their eyes.

The pirate jerks Silver up by his curls, just to drive his fist into Silver’s stomach again. Silver rears back but the man’s grip on his hair holds him upright. He dangles, trying to pull free but the man hits him again.

“Enough.”

They turn as one to see Flint standing there. One of the men starts towards him, but another catches him by the arm, holding him back.

“Remember the orders.” He mutters.

“Let him go.” Flint tilts his head towards Silver, still dangling from the man’s grip.

Finally the pirate releases him and he slumps to the deck. The pirates move away, heading off to another corner of the hold.

Flint turns to Silver. “Can you stand?”

“Of course.” Silver murmurs, without moving. His eyes are still closed. “I’m only lying here while I think about the choices I’ve made.”

“Any regrets?” Flint says casually, leaning over him.

In this light, Silver’s skin looks sallow, blood trickling from both a cut on his eyebrow, and his mouth. Flint’s gaze travels over his shirt, thinking of the bruises blossoming under there.

“Ask me tomorrow.” Silver answers. He still hasn’t moved.

“Come on.” Flint says. “Get up.”

“Not entirely sure that’s a good idea.” Silver says, but he opens his eyes and rolls slowly over on his side, bracing his palm against the floor. He starts to slowly push himself upwards and Flint reaches down to grasp his arm and shoulder, pulling him upright.

Silver staggers and Flint catches him, steadying all his weight. Abruptly, he’s aware of how close Silver is. the breath of his body, leaning into Flint’s. the smell of him, salty and sweaty and _Silver_.

Flint licks his lips reflexively and lets go of him, taking a step back. Only to immediately step forward again and catch Silver again as he starts to fall again.

“Told you it wasn’t a good idea.” Silver murmurs, his eyes half closing again.

“Stay awake.” Flint says sharply.

It’s possible Silver’s head has been injured, though Flint’s not sure he hit it or not. He hauls him back to the secluded corner of the hold they slept in the last night, half hidden from the main part section by a stack of crates. He half lays, half leans Silver down upon the sacking they used as their bedding.

“Thank you.”

“What’re you thanking me for?” Flint says gruffly.

He moves to lean against the wall, keeping watch just in case any of the men come back to finish the job.

“You didn’t have to stop them.” Silver observes, eyes still closed. He wipes the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, grimacing faintly.

Flint snorts. “Because you were managing everything so well.”

Silver shrugs his shoulders slightly and then groans faintly. He opens one eye, looking up at Flint quizzically. “Why did you?”

“He seemed ill inclined to stop hitting you.” Flint says.

“That didn’t mean you had to do anything.” Silver turns slightly, edging his back against the wall, and looking up at him.

“I haven’t regained control of the ship yet.” Flint says at least. “I still need you.”

There’s the faintest smile upon Silver’s lips. He sighs faintly and half-closes his eyes again.

“How much longer are you going to continue this particular strategy.” Flint asks next, simply for something to say.

Silver exhales, his eyelashes dark against his pale face. He looks young. However did Flint let him join this crew in the first place? How had he been won over?

“I haven’t decided.” Silver sighs. “It’s the best one I’ve come up with so far.”

“This is your best strategy?” Flint sounds incredulously.

Silver’s eyes slide closed all the way again.

“Hey.” Flint moves to slide down the wall beside him, nudging him. “How’s your head?”

“Fine.” Silver cracks one eye open. “How’s yours?”

“Aching.” Flint says crisply. He looks over to the opposite side where the crew is still gathered.

Doubt creeps in again. He can get through to the crew, it will only take a little finagling of Dufresne, but if Silver makes a misstep, if he loses the crew further…will Flint be able to hold them on his own? Once he would have said yes. Now, he’s not so sure. But beyond that, even if he could, there’s the simple fact that he doesn’t want to lose Silver. He doesn’t want Silver to fail. More than that, he wants Silver by his side.

As though Silver can read his thoughts, he speaks, breaking the silence between them. “We will figure this out, you know.”

“Mmmh, how do you know that?”

“Because we make too good of partners not to succeed.” Silver murmurs.

For one startling moment Flint gazes directly into Silver’s blue eyes. He lets himself see them, see Silver, see Silver in the world as a partner and knows it to be true. Even if his mind immediately drifts to the other, deeper meaning of the word, and what that would be like as well.

“Wouldn’t you agree?” Silver asks.

“Let’s wait and see what tomorrow brings first, shall we?” Flint tells him.

He’s rewarded by a smile, small and secret on Silver’s lips.

Tomorrow, more of the crew laughs with Silver than at him. He stands straighter, in spite of the bruises and the black eye. And when he smiles at Flint then, well… Like it or not, Flint has to agree with him. They do make good partners.


End file.
